Hormone Headache

As previously stated the most common cause of migraine and other headache types is stress.

But thesecond most common cause of migraine is hormone fluctuations!

For too many years most women were told that monthly headaches associated with their menstrual cycles were "normal". To this day when I ask women if they have headaches..they say:

"No, just my normal monthly hormone headache."

Well now we know that hormonal headache is just not right.

Menstrual migraine or catemenial migraine is a real diagnosis and those pesky estrogen receptors in the brain have now been located!

(Did you know you have about 5 of them?)

This is one of the reasons why teenage girls have such severe headaches..their cycles of hormones are fluctuating so high and so low that the resulting headache can be disabling.

As these levels fluctuate, estrogen binds and unbinds from the blood vessels lining the outer coverings of the brain. When this happens the vessels dilate, creating pain. As long as estrogen fluctuates the vessels remain dilated and sometimes medication cannot counteract this effect.

This is one time when preventative medication and vitamins really go a long way to restore quality of life.

Most often during adolescent headaches the treatment is only for a few months as teenagers respond MUCH faster to treatment than adults. Their brains are still growing which could account for such a rapid response. Read more about girls and hormonal headache.

Menopause and Migraine

At the other end of the menstrual fluctuation is menopause. Menopause and perimenopause can result in a change in your headaches. Many women see an improvement in their hormone headaches after menopause.

The hard part is getting there! Perimenopause, like adolescence, results in bigger fluctuations in estrogen and worsening headaches.

If your headaches are beginning at this stage, please talk to your doctor. Many of the treatments discussed on this site may be suitable for you and your headaches.

Please also remember that a new onset of headaches at any age may be an emergency. Information about emergency headaches.

A final cause of hormone headache can be pregnancy. Most women will see an improvement during pregnancy for their headaches but unfortunately a small percentage will worsen.

Some women even start having headaches during pregnancy and this could be a serious problem due to other medical conditions.

Pregnancy should be one of the happiest times of your life, not one of the most miserable! Read more about pregnancy and headaches.

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